NICK BOCKWINKEL TALKS BYPASS SURGERY, THEN vs NOW AND MORE
- 03/18/2008 (7:48:58 pm)
- Press Release
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Show: The Interactive Interview courtesy of http://www.wrestlingepicenter.comGuest WWE Hall of Famer & former Multi-Time AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel
Date: 3/18/08
Your Hosts: Patrick Kelley & James Walsh
Special Contributor: Nick "Griffin" Noel
Transcript By: Patrick Kelley
After doing these shows for 5 years, it is rare that The Interactive Interview interviews someone we never have interviewed before that we hold in such high esteem. But, this week, we do. This week, we present an interview that we are honored and humbled to present. This week, we invite you to join us as we present to you the former multi-time AWA champion and a wrestling and WWE Hall of Famer, the incomparable Nick Bockwinkel.
We would like to extend a special "thank you" to Mr. Bockwinkel as he was gracious enough to give up his time despite not being a fan of doing interviews with people he does not have a pre-existing relationship with. We were honored, humbled, and are sincerely happy to share this interview with the Internet wrestling community.
To listen to this interview, check out http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com and view our "Recent Interviews" section. You can listen to this interview in glorious digital audio. And, as always, check out our online store and infamous forum!
Nick Bockwinkel
- The interview opens up with a discussion about Bockwinkel’s health. He had some serious surgeries a while back, but he says he’s doing well right now. He also says he’s dying to get back on the golf course.
- Bockwinkel talks about the Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam (which JJ Dillon talked about in our interview with him) A lot of the great stars of wrestling (including Bruno Sammartino) have been inducted. The WWE Hall of Fame (which Bockwinkel was inducted to last year) doesn’t have a physical building for fans to visit, which is why Bockwinkel put over the one in Amsterdam.
- He says that Vince felt he needed to induct him because Vince currently owns everything, and since he owns all the AWA tapes, he probably felt that he needed to reference that history. He says the Amsterdam Hall of Fame means more to him because it is more inclusive.
- When talking about Vince and how people saw him as a bad guy, he says that Vince only took the product in the direction that it was going in when Vince took over the territories and took over. Bockwinkel then goes into an in depth discussion about how wrestling expanded with the advent of television and the levels that Vince took it to, and how Jim Barnett was very innovative.
- He also says that any of the promoters would have loved to do what Vince McMahon did, but they didn’t quite have the drive that Vince does. He says that Vince loves what he does and it shows.
- When asked about the current product (more specifically the hardcore violence), he says the product is certainly different from when he was in it, but he has a ton of respect for the young guys that are able to do the things that they do today. He then puts over a match he saw between The Undertaker vs. Finlay as one of the best matches he’s seen because of the “little man vs. big man” mentality that the match had. .
- When asked about Bobby Heenan, he puts him over as the best talent that wrestling has ever had. He says Bobby was great at antagonizing the fans and getting a reaction out of the fans. He also says Bobby is also a fantastic talker. Unfortunately, Bobby is not doing too well health wise right now, and we here at the Epicenter wish Bobby Heenan the best.
- When asked about the story of when Hennig hid his AWA World Title in the snow, he says that the story isn’t true, but Hennig, Michaels, & Jannetty were pranksters and pulled ribs all the time. He then tells a very funny story about how he got back them for ribbing him.
- The interview closes with a discussion about wrestling fan fests, particularly the big disaster in San Francisco. Bockwinkel says he believes the promoters had good intentions but ended up not being able to live up to their word because shortly before the fan fest, the energy drink they hoped to unvail at the event was nixed because the Cow Palace has a deal with Coca-cola. Bockwinkel does not know why so many seemed to think it was doomed from the start.
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